Cellphones were raised in unison at 7:40 p.m. The cheapest tickets for this game were priced at $301 in section 507, the highest $12,000 on the 308 club level. No one among the 77,047 standing fans was going anywhere at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday night.

It didn’t matter who you were. You wanted to record Peyton Manning recording history.

The Drive forever defines the Broncos. No matter what happens over the next four months in this team’s Super Bowl quest, the Broncos will always have The Pass.

Peyton Manning riddled San Francisco in prime time, even playing the comic foil after breaking Brett Favre’s mark of 508 touchdown passes in the Broncos’ 42-17 thrashing with No. 509 and No. 510 among his four touchdown passes.

In a postgame interview with NBC, Manning said of his record: “Quite an honor. I do have an appreciation for the quarterbacks who have played this game over the years. A lot of people helped get me to this point. I’m very honored.”

Sixteen-plus years after the Indianapolis Colts made him the first overall pick, Manning’s horsepower continues to amaze. Manning didn’t chase history Sunday. He stalked it. With the Broncos leading 14-3 in the second quarter, Manning stared into the south end zone, analyzing the 49ers’ defense. He took the snap, looked right and fired a dart to Demaryius Thomas for an 8-yard score just inside the pylon.

Thomas walked toward Manning with the historic ball held out as a gift. Manning reached for it, and he became the little brother in his New Orleans backyard all over again. Thomas flipped it to Emmanuel Sanders, who taunted Manning, then tossed it to Wes Welker, who flung it to Julius Thomas.

In Manning’s made-for-movie performance, even the joy was scripted.

Denver is a city, Colorado a state, that has witnessed two Super Bowl victories and enough fourth-quarterback comebacks to recognize greatness and never hesitate to let the imagination wander. Manning makes everything seem possible.

His records resonate, because they are framed by rolled-up-sleeves work ethic and adversity (four neck surgeries). He finished 22-of-26 passing for 318 yards.

The 509 football heads to Canton, Ohio. The Pro Football Hall of Fame asked for Manning’s glove on his passing hand, but he prefers to use it a few more weeks.

“It’s just an unbelievable feat,” general manager John Elway said. “I am planning on him having a lot more touchdown passes.”

The appreciation Sunday deepened because of the opponent. NBC wanted Manning to eclipse Favre’s mark — “That’s why I am here,” announcer Bob Costas said last week at Dove Valley — but the fans wanted the Broncos to show they could step into the octagon with an NFC beast and not blink.

They were good enough that backup quarterback Brock Osweiler entered in the fourth quarter. What the game possessed in significance, it lacked in suspense.

The Broncos scored on their first two possessions. Manning went 5-for-5 for 54 yards on the first drive, culminating with Sanders’ first touchdown as a Bronco. Manning’s next two completions resulted in a two-touchdown bulge as Welker jumped into the pylon in the north end zone for a 39-yard touchdown after losing Tramaine Brock on an out-and-go.

Only Favre’s record remained. Manning soon had that, too.

The record doesn’t change the Broncos’ goals. It just sharpens Denver’s focus. The Broncos are knee-deep in a three-week gauntlet, next facing the rival San Diego Chargers on Thursday night.

Lost in Manning’s march, the defense now shows fangs. The Broncos picked off San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick — Aqib Talib netted his second interception — sacked him six times, including three by DeMarcus Ware, and generally made him miserable.

From the fan with the painted face and plastic horses on his shoulder to the gentleman with orange and blue overalls and a neon-blue mohawk wig, this was a night no one wanted to miss.

Manning showed why when it comes to his games, you should never pass them up.

Troy is a former Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies beat writer for The Denver Post. He joined the news organization in 2002 as the Rockies' beat writer and became a Broncos beat writer in 2014 before assuming the lead role ahead of the 2015 season. He left The Post in 2015.

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